Chapter 22: Family Dinner at the Disneyland Hotel
After a long afternoon of settling into their suites and letting the kids explore the hotel, the entire family gathered at one of the hotel's elegant yet family-friendly restaurants for dinner. The warm glow of chandeliers cast a soft light over the room, and the air was filled with the laughter and chatter of excited children.
Isa glanced around the long table, taking it all in. Sofia and Mateo sat between Joelle and Waylon, already deep in conversation about which rides they wanted to go on first. Kingston, the youngest of Roman's kids, was perched on his mother Galina's lap, babbling about meeting Mickey. Naomi and Solana were laughing at something Solo said, while Jimmy and Jey playfully argued over who was going to eat more.
Jey leaned over, nudging Isa. "See? Told you this trip was gonna be perfect."
Isa rolled her eyes but couldn't hide her smile. "I'll admit... this was a good surprise."
"A good surprise?" Jimmy scoffed from across the table. "Come on, sis, this is legendary. Whole family, Disney trip, top-tier accommodations? This is peak Uso planning."
Naomi laughed. "Please. The only reason this worked is because Isa packed everything y'all forgot."
Isa smirked, sipping her drink. "Somebody had to make sure the kids had snacks and essentials."
Jey shook his head. "Man, can't I just get my credit for once?"
Sofia giggled. "You did good, Daddy."
That made Jey sit up straighter, a proud grin on his face. "See? At least my baby girl appreciates me."
As the meal went on, the conversation flowed effortlessly. The kids switched seats every few minutes, bouncing between cousins, and the adults reminisced about past family vacations while making new memories.
At one point, Roman tapped his fork against his glass, drawing everyone's attention. "Since we're all here together, I just want to say... this is what family is about. We've all been through a lot, but at the end of the day, we're still us. No matter what."
A round of nods and murmurs of agreement circled the table. Isa glanced at Jey, who was already looking at her. There was something unspoken in his eyes-something warm, something steady.
She exhaled, then turned back to the table. "To family."
"To family," everyone echoed, raising their glasses.
As the night wound down, the kids grew sleepier, leaning against their parents and cousins, eyelids drooping. Mateo, full from dinner, rested his head on Jey's arm, while Sofia curled up against Isa.
Jey pressed a kiss to the top of Mateo's head, then looked at Isa. "Tomorrow's gonna be a big day."
Isa smiled. "Yeah. And something tells me it's just the beginning."
With full hearts and happy exhaustion settling in, the family wrapped up dinner, ready for the magic that awaited them in the morning.
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